WHAT IS KOINONIA?
For me it was the word I ''tripped over'' in Phil 1:5 which brought about the total change of my Christian life. The early Christians ''continuously devoted themselves to fellowship'' (Acts 2:42). The word for ''fellowship'' is Koinonia, which means ''to have in common'' or ''to share,'' as those who are united in Christ with one another in a way that results in individual and corporate spiritual growth. This is accomplished through the exchange of God's love and truth, which is called ministry service.
KOINONIA
WHAT IS KOINONIA?
For me it was the word I ''tripped over'' in Phil 1:5 which brought about the total change of my Christian life. The early Christians ''continuously devoted themselves to fellowship'' (Acts 2:42). The word for ''fellowship'' is Koinonia, which means ''to have in common'' or ''to share,'' as those who are united in Christ with one another in a way that results in individual and corporate spiritual growth. This is accomplished through the exchange of God's love and truth, which is called ministry service.
Clearly such Koinonia is not just a matter of attending one or two meetings a week. It is much more than that. In fact attending gatherings may not contribute to strengthening koinonia at all. Verses like Hebrews 10:25 ''not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together'' are frequently misunderstood today to mean only our presence at church meetings. It is not just the presence of other members that is needed, but also their
function ''..... the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of you.'' (1 Cor 12:21).
Christians are viewed as the Body of Christ because we are spiritually united in Christ and with each other. Since we are members of one another, we need to relate to each other in a mutually interdependent way. The important point, therefore, is not that we attend meetings, but that we authentically share the life of Christ with one another. Thus, ''speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects unto him who is the Head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.'' (Eph 4:15,16)
THE HOME
The marriage covenant is the primary expression of koinonia on the earth. Then, out of the oneness of the marriage flows the family covenant in which koinonia is developed between the parents and the children. Relationships with the extended family and with believers outside the family follow.
The Christian home is the primary place for the expression of koinonia, both for those who are part of the family who dwell there and to those who visit.
WITH THE LORD JESUS
So far we have been talking about ''horizontal'' koinonia, but the first form of koinonia actually expresses our relationship with the Lord Jesus (1 Cor 1:9). This Greek word is used to describe not only our intimate relationships with our family and other believers, but also with God. The same
word! It is out of the depths of our relationship with the Lord that we pursue koinonia with the people in our lives. So we see the whole gospel expressed in one word --- koinonia --- which is both ''vertical'' and ''horizontal''. We call it the ''koinonia cross''.
HOW CAN WE PRACTICE KOINONIA?
The whole Bible defines normative involvement in Christian koinonia in two major ways:
1. By serving other Christians with our spiritual gifts and receiving others service through their spiritual gifts, i.e. ministry.
2. We can love one another in various practical ways. Taken from the model of Jesus, the apostles taught a profile of the ways that we can love one another. These are the ''one another'' imperatives of the letters:
Scripture verses:
Have peace with the another - Mark 9:50
Love one another - John 13: 34; Rom 12:10; 1 John 3:11,23; 4:7,11,12; 1 Peter 4:8.
Members of one another - Rom 12:5; Eph 4:25
Kindly affectionate to one another - Rom 12:10
Rejoice or weep with one another - Rom 12:15
Prefer one another - Rom 12:10
Be of the same mind one toward another - Rom 12:16
Edify (build up) one another - Rom 14:19, 1 Thess 5:11, Eph 4:12, 16
Be like minded toward one another - Rom 15:5.
Receive one another - Rom 15:7
Admonish one another Rom 15:14; Col 3:16
Greet one another - Rom 16:16
Care for one another - 1 Cor 12:25
Serve one another - Gal 5:13; Rom 12:10
Forbearing (putting up) with one another - Eph 4:2; Col 3:13; Rom 15:1-5
Be kind and forgiving to one another - Eph 4:32; Col 3:13
Submit to one another - Eph 5:21; 1 Peter 5:5; Rom 12:10
Esteem each other better than yourself - Phil 2:3
Comfort one another - 1 Thess 4:18
Exhort (encourage ) one another - Heb 3:13; 1 Thess 4:18; 5:11.
Scripture verses continued:
Consider one another - Heb 10:24,25.
Fellowship (Koinonia) with one another - 1 John 1:7.
Minister to one another in your gifts - 1 Peter 4:10.
Have compassion with one another - 1 Peter 3:8.
Pray for one another - James 5:16.
Teaching and speaking to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs - Eph 5:19; Col 3:16.
Accept one another - Rom 14:1; 15:7.
Be hospitable with one another - 1 Peter 4:9.
Don't lust after one another - Rom 1:27.
Don't take one another to court - 1 Cor 6 1 - 7.
Don't hate one another - Titus 3:3
Don't judge one another - Rom 12:16
Don't be puffed up (proud) against each other - 1 Cor 4:6.
Don't use each other - Gal 5:15.
Don't lie to one another - Col 3:9.
Don't be partial with one another - 1 Tim 5:21.
As we practice giving love to other Christians in these ways and as we allow them to express love to us in these ways, we are practicing koinonia and expressing mutual interdependence as members of Christ and one another.